CYANIDE USE IN BUKIT KOMAN'S GOLD EXTRACTION BEING MONITORED

RAUB (Malaysia), Jan 14 (Bernama) -- The Minerals and Geosciences Department
will monitor the use of cyanide by Raub Australian Gold Mining Sdn Bhd in gold
extraction at Bukit Koman here, an east coast town in the state of Pahang.

Its director-general Yunus Abd Razak said this was to ensure that the use of
cyanide would not pose health risks to residents and cause environmental
pollution.

"The company is required to provide the department with data on the use of
cyanide on daily, weekly and monthly basis.

"The company's data will be compared to that of the department, which will
collect samples of cyanide use on a fortnightly basis," he told reporters after
accompanying Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Joseph Kurup to
the gold mine here Wednesday.

Residents of Kampung Bukit Koman claimed that mining using cyanide to
extract gold in the area had damaged their health.

Yunus said so far there was no evidence that the use of cyanide by the
company had affected the health of residents.

A Raub Australian Gold Mining spokesman said as the company used only a
small amount of cyanide in its operation, it would not be hazardous to the
health of the residents.
-- BERNAMA